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What is The SCAQMD?

The SCAQMD stands for the South Coast AQMD. The AQMD (Air Quality Management District) is an air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. This area encompasses 10,743 square miles and has a population of over 16 million people - about half the population of the entire state of California. It is the second most populated urban area in the United States and one of most affected by smog.

SCAQMD and Water Heaters

As part of their attempt to limit the amount of smog produced in their area, the AQMD has enacted Rule 1121, “Control of Nitrogen Oxides from Residential Type, Natural Gas-Fired Water Heaters.” This rule was adopted on December 1, 1978, and subsequently amended on March 10, 1995, December 10, 1999, and September 3, 2004. The rule seeks to control the amount of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emitted by Residential-Type, Natural Gas-Fired Water Heaters. In order to be sold into the AQMD, the NOx generated by the water heater cannot be greater than 10 nanograms of NOx per Joule of heat output.

Bradford White Corporation has been able to meet this challenge by developing a series of advanced water heaters that emit 10 ng NOx/J or less. These water heaters are known as the Eco-Defender Ultra Low NOx series water heaters.

SCAQMD Affected Areas

If you are an installer, wholesaler or homeowner and are interested in discovering if you are in the affected area, please visit the AQMD’s website at http://www.aqmd.gov/. and follow the menu to “Inside AQMD”, “About AQMD” and then “Jurisdiction.” Or click on the following link: www.aqmd.gov/aqmd/cities.html.

Some of the above information was sourced from the AQMD’s website, www.aqmd.gov/.